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Home Inspectors' Concerns Regarding Twist-On Connectors for Aluminum Wiring Repairs

The CPSC safey concerns with aluminum wiring hazards and problems with some of the aluminum wiring repair connectors on the market raise safety concerns. Home inspectors should review the CPSC recommendations for and against various aluminum wiring repair connectors (available at this website).

In addition to the re-wiring optin, there are aluminum-to-copper connection products that perform well for aluminum wiring repair using the copper-pigtailing method.

Based field experience with the inspection of in-service residential electrical wiring, the availability to consumers of any comparatively low-cost "solution," if it is approved for only narrow, specific, limited use, may result in widespread do-it-yourself misapplication and possibly dangerous use of the device.

We've already seen this problem where we've found use of common twist-on connectors as a "retrofit" made by homeowners and electricians who have heard that there is a "pigtailing" "fix" but who have not read the CPSC literature or who considered the AMP TYCO COPALUM aluminum wiring repair too costly or too difficult to obtain in their area.

Improper use of connectors can actually increase the probability of a fire since owners think the aluminum wiring hazard has been eliminated and may ignore important signs of a looming failure.

Ordinarily the CPSC does not "approve" nor "disapprove" specific products. An exception was the case of the "Copalum connector" for aluminum wiring, probably because another product of equal reliability had not been listed, and because of the inherent dangers of improper retrofit attempts.

Misunderstanding: ASHI Does Not Approve Products

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